The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-01-19

eTS, lIl6 SllgHJcSl T6slSlHuCG W WnlCn
would have constituted piracy; whereas
capture without resistance merely en-
tailed confiscaion of cargo and vessel
The vessel | had charge of-which |
had brought out from England--was
one of the finest double-screw steamers
that had ever been built by Dbl; of
four hundred tons burden, two-hun-
dred-ffty horsepower, one hundred
eighty feet long and twenty-five feet
beam, and was, 50 far as sea-going
qualities, speed, etc, went, as handy a
little craft as ever floated. Our crew
consisted of a captain, three officers,
three engineers and twenty-eight men,
including fremen-that is, ten seamen
and eighteen firemen. They were all
Englishmen, and, as they received very
high wages, we managed to have picked
men. In fact, the men-of-war on the
West India station found it difficult
matter to prevent their crews from de-
serting, so great was the temptation Of
fered by the blockade-runners. | will
begin by explaining how we prepared
the vessel for the work. This was done
by reducing her spars to light pair of
lower masts, without any yards across
them-the only break in their sharp
outline being a small crow's-nest on the
foremost, to be used as lookout place.
The hull, which showed about eight
feet above water, was painted dull
gray color to render her as nearly as
possible invisible in the night The
boats were lowered square with the
gunnels. Coal was taken on board of
a smokeless nature (anthracite). The
f,,n,,n1 hainp what iS pallp6 - tpIp-
scope" lowered close down to the deck
In order that no noise might be made,
steam was blown off under water. In
fact, every ruse was resorted to to en-
able the vessel to evade the vigilance
of the American cruisers, who were
scattered about in great numbers all
the way between Bermuda and Will
mington-the port, at the time | write
of, most frequented by blockade-run-
ners. While speaking of the precau-
tons used, | may mention that
among the fowls taken on board
as provisions no cocks were al
lowed, for fear of their proclaiming the
whereabouts of the blockade-runner.
This may seem ridiculous, but it was
very necessary. The distance from
Bermuda to Wilmington Ohe port we
were bound toy is seven hundred
twenty miles. We started in the even
ing. For the first twenty-four hours
we saw nothing to alarm us, but at
daylight the second day there was a
large American cruiser not half mile
from us, right ahead, who, before we
could turn round, steamed straight at
us and commenced firing rapidly, but
very much at random, the shot and
shell all passing over or wide of us.
Fortunately, according to orders to
have full steam on at daybreak, we
were quite prepared for a run; and,
still more fortunately, a heavy squall OF
wind and rain that came on helped us
vastly, as we were dead to windward of
the enemy: and having no top-weights
we soon dropped him astern. He most
foolishly kept yawning, to fire his bow
chasers, losing ground every time he
did so. BY eight O'Clock we were out
of range, unhit, and by noon out OF
sight of anything but smoke. Luckily
the chase had not taken us much Oft
our course, as the consumption of coal
during run of this sort, with boilers
all but bursting from high pressure OF
steam, was a most serious consider
ation-there being no coal in the con-
federate ports, where wood only was
used, which would not suit our furnaces
We were now evidently i'll very danger.
Gus waters, steamers being reported
from our masthead every hour, and we
had to keep moving about in all direc
: tons to avoid them; sometimes stop
ing to let one pass ahead of us, a
another time turning completely rounC
and running back on our course
Luckily, we were never seen or chased
: Night came on, and | had hoped tina
we should have made rapid progress
till daybreak unmolested. All was quie
until about one O'Clock in the morning
when suddenly, to our dismay, W,
found steamer close alongside of us
How she had got there without on
knowledge is mystery to me ever
now. However, there she was, and W,
had hardly seen her before a stentoriaI
: voice howled out, "Heave-to in tina
steamer, or I'll sink you'll" 1t seemed
to me as if all was over, but | deter
: mined to try ruse before giving tn
little craft up. So | answered, "Ay
. ay, sir, we are stopped" The cruise
D was about eighty yards from us. w
heard orders given to man and arm tn
Z quarter boats, we saw the boats lowere,
u into the water, we saw them coming
>, we heard the crew laughing and cheer
5 ing at the prospect of their prize. Tn
u bowmen had just touched the sides O
d our vessel with their boat-hooks, whe
u | whispered down the tube into tn
: engine-room, Full speed ahead!
{ and away we shot into the darkness.
Il don't know what happened; whethe
> the captain of the man-of-war though
! that his boats had taken possession
Il and thus did not try to stop us, G
u whether he stopped to pick up his boat
q in the rather nasty sea that was rur
l ming some one who reads this ma
c know. All can say is that not she
II was fired, and that in less than
g minute the pitch darkness hid tn
u cruiser from our view. This was